Saturday, 23 May 2015

How Would you Like People To Think Of You ?

Today we have a guest
post from Jo Middleton. Read more from Jo over at her award-winning mummy blog, Slummy single mummy.

…

I am staring at a blank screen, wondering how to start. I want
400 words of wit and charm, something to make people think ‘I like this woman,
I’m going to have a read of her blog after this.’

Writing your own blog is easy - you waffle on in the same way you
always have, people know what to expect, and regular readers forgive you if you
have an off day or are a little on the dull side. When you’re writing for
someone else’s blog though it’s totally different. Suddenly you have the chance
to make an impression.

It’s quite scary to be honest, a bit like a first date. You
start to imagine yourself as the person you have always wanted to be - these
readers don’t know you, you can be anybody! Should I tell everyone I’m a size
ten with thick, blond hair, who gets up at 5am every morning to run a half
marathon? Let’s not be silly. But still, it feels like an opportunity, albeit a
small one, to reinvent yourself.

The question though, is who do you want to be?

A few months ago I went to a Q&A with David Mitchell (The
Peep Show one, not the Cloud Atlas one.) I asked him a question, a question I
ask myself a lot.

“Would you rather be clever or funny?”

“Funny,” he said, without even thinking about. “I’d definitely
rather be funny. I spend my whole life trying to be funny. Plus, I think it’s
actually really clever to be able to make someone laugh.”

I agreed.

Thinking about this post then, I wondered how much of an effort
I should make to be funny. I could tell a joke maybe? But then I only know that
one about the monkeys falling out of trees, and no one ever laughs when I tell
it. Maybe not.

Should I try to be clever? I’m not sure how to get that across
in a few hundred words. No one wants to hear about my degree prize do they?

I think I'm with David Mitchell, I would like people to read my blog and for it to make them smile in some way. I insert stuff which makes me laugh but I'm not sure whether it chimes with my readers. If anything I use my blog posts to make myself laugh and if it does that I'm happy. Stephen :o)

it is very difficult to write for somebody else, when I do it I have higher expectations of myself than when I write my own blog, not that I dont write to ( I hope) a high standard anyway. Great post. Me...I would just like to be viewed as nice.....for people to like me......but if they dont then that is there loss not mine. I go to work to earn a pay not to make friends, if they are civilised that that suits me.

Everytime you comment on this blog you will be sent a kitten ... that could be a lie .. though it would make me very happy Thank You! If you are allergic to cats then wine will be sent .... * that could be a lie also.

Not connected with kittens

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